VIDEO: CCTV reveals dramatic catapult shooting in Conisbrough

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Published:08:47Thursday 27 November 2014

A widower has told of the dramatic moment he was shot at while looking out of his window and was saved – by his double glazing.

John Rush, 58, was peering out of his kitchen window while waiting for the kettle to boil when he heard a loud smash right in front of him.

John Rush of Conisbrough, was shot at while stood at his window. He is pictured with the ball bearing he found between the panes of glass and the shattered window pane which he has had to replace. Picture: Marie Caley NSYT 04-11-14 Rush MC 2

After ducking down out of the way, he noticed the first window pane had been smashed by a ball bearing but had been stopped from going through by the second pane.

Dramatic CCTV footage outside his Conisbrough home showed a hooded figure crouched down behind a bush before firing the projectile from what appears to be a catapult.

Mr Rush said he was saved by his double glazing, which he had only installed in the summer after a series of previous vandalism attacks.

The retired construction site manager, of Castle Street, said: “The kettle was boiling and I was just looking outside when I heard this almighty pop. I was terrified.

“I found the ball bearing inside the window cavity. I’m just thankful that it did not go through because it would have hit me in the head and I could have been seriously injured or blinded.”

The incident, which happened on October 17 at 9.50pm, is the latest in a string of vandalism attacks against the dad-of-one, who has today decided to speak out against his attackers.

Arsonists set fire to his shed in May, which caused the deaths of seven pet canaries he was keeping there.

Weeks later in June, yobs smashed about 20 windows at his home, which cost about £9000 to replace.

Burglars also broke into his garage that same month and stole a hedge strimmer, power tools and other equipment worth £5000.

Vandals even damaged the gravestone of his wife Sandra at the end of September. Mrs Rush, a nurse, died of breast cancer aged 44 in 2002. Since the tragedy Mr Rush and his daughter Natalie, 30, have helped to raise about £100, 000 for charity in her memory.

Mr Rush said: “It has been a year from hell. I’m being targeted.”

He added he believes he is being singled out by another man who he did not want to name but who lives in the same village. He said the person in question has a score to settle with him stemming from a disagreement between the pair from years ago but he did not want to go into any further detail.

A spokeswoman for South Yorkshire Police said nobody has been charged with any offence in relation to the attacks.

She added: “Investigations into the incident are ongoing and officers have recovered CCTV footage to assist with their inquiries. Call police on 101.”

*View exclusive CCTV footage of the catapult attack at www.thestar.co.uk.